1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to spotlight, and more particularly to a spotlight with locking swivel-joint handle which has a handle adjustable between a pistol type handle position and a transversal type handle position to fit various usages.
2. Description of Related Arts
Lantern is a kind of popular spotlight because it can be used as an outdoor lighting means in many circumstances, such as during outdoor camping, finishing, and hunting. The lanterns may be used in times of power outage or in the road side anywhere when a car broke down on road. Lanterns can also be used in industry, such as automobile repair shop where lighting for the underneath of an automobile is required. Therefore, consumers nowadays require different types of lantern for different usages. Lanterns, such as spotlights, according to their natures and features, can normally be divided into three major categories and two major types.
There are three major categories of conventional lanterns in market. They are A/C powered, D/C powered and powered by the battery of an automobile (usually it is a 12V power supply). Moreover, there are two major types of conventional lanterns for different usages, i.e. the above-head type lantern and below-waist type lantern. However, they all have problems and disadvantages regardless of the different power supplies and usages.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional above-head type lantern A, which has a pistol type handle 1A integrally connected to a bottom portion of the lamp head 2A, is illustrated. It is generally used in various environments, such as patrol searching, where the lamp head 2A is required to be held in an above head position. Normally, the user needs to use one hand to hold the lantern while using his other hand to do whatever tasks he wants to do. If the user needs to perform some complicated tasks that require the user to use his both hands or even require the user to use additional tools, the user will have no other alternative but to have another person to hold the lantern for him. It is very inconvenient and does not make any economical sense in terms of the daily business operations.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional below-waist type lantern B, which has a transversal type handle 1B integrally connected to a top portion of the lamp head 2B, is illustrated. It is generally used in an environment where the lamp head 2B is required to be held in a below waist position. Moreover, the transversal type handle 1B allows the user to sit on ground and to hang the lantern up some where, such as the hook in the lower front bumper of a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), or the front top rack of a camping tent.
In other words, although both the above-head type lantern A and the below-waist type lantern B are spotlights, they provide different conveniences for different applications. Since it does not make sense for a user to pay double price to own both types of lantern at the same time, most users will choose to unwillfully select one of them to buy and suffer the above-mentioned disadvantages for some usages.
A main objective of the present invention of a swivel lantern, that is a spotlight with locking swivel-joint handle, which can be worked and functioned as an above-head type lantern and a below-waist type lantern. The swivel lantern of the present invention comprises a swivel joint to connect the handle with the lamp head, that enables the handle to be adjusted between a pistol type handle position and a transversal type handle position with respect to the lamp head.
Another objective of the swivel lantern according to the present invention is to provide a releasable locking means with effective structure in low cost for firmly locking up both the pistol type handle position and the transversal type handle position, wherein the locking means can easily be released while switching between the pistol type handle position and the transversal type handle position.
In order to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a swivel lantern which comprises:
a lamp head,
a handle,
a swivel joint for rotatably connecting the handle with the lamp head, and
a releasable locking means for selectively locking the handle in a pistol type handle position and a transversal type handle position with respect to the lamp head,
wherein in the pistol type handle position, the handle is sidewardly and radially extended from the lamp head, and in the transversal type handle position, the handle is sidewardly extended in parallel with an axis of the lamp head.